Gaskin propels Washington over Southern Mississippi in Heart of Dallas Bowl

DALLAS - Myles Gaskin broke a third-quarter tie with an 86-yard run and finished with a season-high 181 yards and four touchdowns to help Washington beat Southern Mississippi 44-31 on Saturday in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

The Huskies (7-6) won their last two regular-season games by a combined 97-17 over Oregon State and Washington State to become bowl eligible and then delivered Chris Petersen's first postseason victory in his two seasons at Washington.

Gaskin's other scores came on 2- and 1-yard runs in the first quarter and a 13-yarder in the fourth. On the 86-yarder, the freshman took a handoff inside, broke to the left sideline and shook off one final defender at the Southern Miss 35.

Gaskin, the game's most valuable player, gained 170 yards in the second half on 17 carries after being held to 11 yards on nine rushes in the first half. His previous high was 155 yards against Oregon.

The Golden Eagles (9-5) were seeking their first win over a Power 5 conference team since 2011.